Is Chuba Hubbard or Jonathon Brooks the Starting RB for the Panthers? Who Should You Draft in Fantasy Football? (2026)

July 17, 2026

Is Chuba Hubbard or Jonathon Brooks the RB1 for the Panthers? Should you draft Hubbard or Brooks in 2026 fantasy football drafts? Quincy's expert draft analysis and advice.

The Panthers' backfield flipped on its head in 2025. After scorching his way to an RB14 fantasy finish in 15 games in 2024, Chuba Hubbard lost his job to Rico Dowdle in 2025. With Dowdle bolting for Pittsburgh, Hubbard has a chance to reclaim his top spot. Unfortunately, there is a youngster in the offense eagerly awaiting his shot in the NFL.

Jonathon Brooks is returning from a multitude of knee injuries that have kept him off the field for all but three games in his two seasons. The Panthers would like to get Brooks involved, as he is a promising young player, but he has yet to prove himself on the field. His career arc has been unfortunate, but he could make waves this season.

Hubbard will have a chance to take over this backfield, but Brooks is not simply going to go away. He is too talented, and this regime invested a second-round pick in him. The question is whether he has lost his explosiveness. If he has, that could be a huge boost to Hubbard's prospects this season. Let's dive in and see which RB will be the No. 1 for the Panthers in 2026.

Chuba Hubbard Fantasy Football Outlook

We are just one season removed from Hubbard rushing for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns in what was a horrific Carolina offense in 2024. Hubbard began the 2025 season as the starter, logging a few solid games before injuries cost him two games. His absence opened the door for Dowdle, who proceeded to go on a run that included a 206-yard rushing game.

Chuba Hubbard scores from 27 yards out

CARvsJAX on FOXhttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/KnAPahRDsS

— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025

Hubbard never reclaimed his job, but there is a gaping hole at the No. 1 running back spot with Dowdle leaving for Pittsburgh this offseason. You can't do what Hubbard did in 2024 without possessing talent. With a solid offensive line in place, he should be able to get back to his 2024 form. Keep in mind that Hubbard's numbers in 2024 included a 4.78 yards per carry average.

Perhaps what is holding Hubbard back the most is his pass-catching ability, or lack thereof. He is incredibly inefficient in that department. In 2024, Hubbard averaged just 3.98 yards per catch on 43 receptions. While the total reception numbers were good for fantasy, Hubbard was not efficient on those receptions.

Hubbard's weakness is where Brooks could thrive. When healthy, Brooks is a more fluid and explosive pass-catcher. He could absolutely take opportunities away from Hubbard on passing downs. This is an offense prime for a multi-back approach. With Brooks in the fold, the Panthers may finally have the most complementary backfield they have had in years.

Still, Hubbard is a quality runner. Given his strengths, he should receive the majority of Carolina's carries, particularly in the early portion of the year while Brooks is still getting reacclimated. Additionally, Hubbard is a more robust back than Brooks and should handle a lot of high-value goal-line carries. Another 10-touchdown season is not outside the realm of possibility.

When given opportunities, Hubbard has consistently performed as an RB2. His contract would also suggest that this team has faith in him to do so. The question is whether Carolina is ready to give those opportunities back or attempt to move on to a younger player. More than likely, Hubbard will simply have to go prove himself on the field once again.

Jonathon Brooks Fantasy Football Outlook

Brooks is a bit of a running back enigma. He entered the NFL coming off a torn ACL that many draft pundits suggested may have even kept him out of the first round in 2024. He was the top running back in his class, but a second torn ACL suffered during his rookie season has limited him to three games in his career.

Now a year and a half removed from that second injury, Brooks is ready to take the next step as a true member of this offense. However, he is incredibly unproven. He was fantastic in his lone season as a starter in college, racking up 1,351 total yards and 11 total touchdowns, but that was nearly three years and two devastating knee injuries ago.

.@MoveTheSticks and @JoelKlatt detail the playmaking that RB Jonathon Brooks brings to the @Panthers. pic.twitter.com/10uDnJkpxF

— NFL (@NFL) May 23, 2024

Still, this regime believes in Brooks. They let Dowdle walk in part because they knew they had Brooks waiting in the wings. He presents a versatile skill set that contrasts with Hubbard's downhill running style. At his best, Brooks has the potential to be the most talented running back on the roster. Unfortunately, 12 NFL touches are not enough to say that definitively.

The offense could benefit from Brooks' explosiveness and pass-catching. However, we have no idea how explosive Brooks really is until he retakes the field. Sometimes, multiple knee injuries are too much to overcome.

Of course, Brooks is only 22, and his body should recover from injuries much more quickly than older veterans. His long recovery timeline should ensure that he is 100% healthy entering this season. Like any player returning from injury, he will need a ramp-up time. But if he has not lost a step, he will be a difference-maker both for the Panthers and for fantasy.

Who Should You Draft in Fantasy Football? 

Both players are being drafted relatively close to each other. Hubbard is going in the Round 9 range while Brooks is around Round 10. Neither price is very steep. Hubbard is not going to be a league winner in fantasy, but he could be a very solid RB2. His value in that range is almost unmatched should he return to his previous form.

Brooks presents upside as an unknown commodity. At this point in your draft, you will have likely built out your starting roster and will be looking for dart throws and depth. Brooks is a dart throw who could pan out in a big way in an offense that is quite effective at running the ball. However, there is likely no middle ground with Brooks. If he does not hit in a big way, then he could be unplayable in fantasy.

My personal selection between these two players would be Hubbard. His draft price is low, and he has the clearest path to fantasy relevance now that he is healthy in his own right after battling a calf issue all season. In fact, that very issue could have contributed to his sub-optimal play. It was this same regime that was in place when he broke out in 2024 after all.

Drafting Brooks means passing up on Kyle Monangai, Alec Pierce, Parker Washington, Tyler Shough, or Jake Ferguson. Each of those players presents tremendous upside or value with far less risk than Brooks. At the same position, Monangai would be hard to pass on in this range. He will likely be in a better offense with more opportunities from the start. Opportunity cost is real.

Jonathon Brooks to Be Carolina's Lead Back in 2026? https://t.co/S4MiCyJul3

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) June 7, 2026

We all want Brooks to be a hit, but his rising ADP is difficult to get behind when compared to Hubbard's. Additionally, as more news continues to come out of camp, Brooks' ADP continues to steadily rise. It is unlikely to ever reach a crazy point, but if he was already a risk where he is currently being drafted, that risk will only be heightened if his draft price rises.

Who Should I Draft Tool

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